Architecture, Landscape & Visual Arts

Unit Outline

Structures and Natural Systems

ARCT1030
SEM-2, 2015
Campus: Crawley
Unit Coordinator: Mr Romesh Goonewardene

All material reproduced herein has been copied in accordance with and pursuant to a statutory licence administered by
Copyright Agency Limited (CAL), granted to the University of Western Australia pursuant to Part VB of the Copyright Act 1968
(Cth).
Copying of this material by students, except for fair dealing purposes under the Copyright Act, is prohibited. For the purposes
of this fair dealing exception, students should be aware that the rule allowing copying, for fair dealing purposes, of 10% of the
work, or one chapter/article, applies to the original work from which the excerpt in this course material was taken, and not to
the course material itself
The University of Western Australia 2001

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Unit details
Unit title
Unit code
Availability
Location

Structures and Natural Systems

ARCT1030
SEM-2, 2015 (27/07/2015 - 21/11/2015)
Crawley

Credit points

Mode

Face to face

Contact details
Faculty
School
School website
Unit coordinator
Email
Consultation hours
Lecturers

Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts

Architecture, Landscape & Visual Arts
http://www.alva.uwa.edu.au/
Mr Romesh Goonewardene
romesh.goonewardene@uwa.edu.au
Wednesdays 12:00 - 13:00 by prior appointment. Please e-mail romesh.goonewardene@uwa.edu.au

Name

Position

Email

mobile

Romesh Goonewardene Unit Coordinator romesh.goonewardene@uwa.edu.au 0431321543

Tutors

Andrew T Boyne architect@andrewtboyne.com

Tutor 1
Brad Cook brad.cook@uwa.edu.au
Tutor 2
Nicoletta Pizzuti nico.pizzuti@gmail.com
Tutor 3
Eliza Langham eliza.langham@uwa.edu.au
Tutor 5
TBA (Depending on enrolment numbers)
Tutor 6
TBA (Depending on enrolment numbers)
Tutor 7
TBA (Depending on enrolment numbers)

Unit contact hours

Lectures: 14.00-14.45am Mondays, Weeks 31-39, 41

Tutorials: 105 mins per week, Weeks 32-39, 41-42
http://units.handbooks.uwa.edu.au/units/ARCT/ARCT1030
All enrolled students must access the LMS site for this Unit: http://www.lms.uwa.edu.au. All assignments,
workshop exercises, announcements and assessment results will be posted on this site and the coordinator
assumes that students will check the site regularly (at least three times a week). All submissions should be
handed in the resource room and uploaded into LMS.

Online handbook
Unit website

Unit description
This unit provides students with an understanding of constructional and site manipulation knowledge in relation to architectural design;
the generic practices in the construction of both traditional and contemporary buildings and site works; the applicability of sustainable
practices and sciences in the design of constructed human environments; Indigenous cultural connection to and rights with relation to
land; basic drawing techniques; and basic technical terminology and an understanding of materials.

Learning outcomes
Students are able to (1) construct small-scale technical drawings; (2) illustrate how small-scale built elements are constructed and
how this information is conveyed in a drawing; (3) apply techniques for recording contextual information about sites including basic
surveying skills and knowledge of contours; (4) measure and draw basic construction details; and (5) compare and contrast the
fundamental properties of building materials such as where they come from, how they are used and their essential structural
properties.

Unit structure
1 x forty five (45) minute lecture will be given weekly and the series will concentrate on the topics outlined in the schedule given later in
this document.
Tutorials run weekly for 1 hour and 45 minutes each. Students must select a tutorial session using the online tutorial booking system
before Wednesday of week 1. Final Tutorial group lists will be posted on the Faculty's ground floor notice board at the beginning of week
2.
Students should prepare for the tutorial sessions by advancing ongoing work to be pinned up or presented at each session.
The tutorials will have the following format:
1. Pin-up / presentation of assignment work by students.
2. Tutor-coordinated discussions of the presented work.
3. Assisted Workshop work on assignment tasks.
4. Last 10 minutes: Tutor will field questions related to the lecture material, and confirm the work for the following week.
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Unit schedule
Week Date

Lecture Topic

Lecturer

Tutorial

July
27,
Week
31 (12Sem)
Aug 3,
Week
32 (22Sem)

Monday Introduction and Assignment 1

July 27 SITE MEASUREMENT AND
ANALYSIS

Romesh
No Tutorials
Goonewardene

Monday Lessons from Vernacular

Aug 3 Architecture

Aug
10,
Week
33 (32Sem)
Aug
17,
Week
34 (42Sem)

Monday Introduction to Assignment 2

Aug 10 STRUCTURE | TECHNICAL
DRAWINGS and Assignment 3
STRUCTURE | MODEL

Romesh
1 SITE MEASUREMENT
Goonewardene AND ANALYSIS
Students present proposed
site with photographs, plan
and initial measurements.
Romesh
1 SITE MEASUREMENT
Goonewardene AND ANALYSIS
Students present technical
drawings: plans, sections,
elevations and diagrams.
Romesh
2 STRUCTURE |
Goonewardene TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
Students present selected
project and collected material
(drawings, photos, etc.)

Aug 24
Week
35 (52Sem)
Aug 31
Week
36 (62Sem)
Sep 7
Week
37 (72Sem)

Monday Materials and Structures

Aug 24

Monday Sustainable Systems

Sep 7

Invited Guest

Sep 14
Week
38 (82Sem)
Sep
21,
Week
39 (92Sem)

Monday Introduction to Assignment 4

Sep 14 DETAILS

Romesh
3 STRUCTURE | MODEL
Goonewardene Students present model

Monday How Details Influence the

Aug 17 Perceived Space: The Nordic
Sensibility

Submissions

Assignment 1 SITE
MEASUREMENT AND
ANALYSIS 20%
Due during this week's
tutorial. Deliver directly to
tutor.

Romesh
2 STRUCTURE |
Goonewardene TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
Students present technical
drawings in A3 format
Monday How Details Influence the
Romesh
3 STRUCTURE | MODEL
Aug 31 Perceived Space: Contemporary Goonewardene Students present technical
Swiss Architecture
drawings prepared for model.
3 STRUCTURE | MODEL
Students present model
development

Monday How Details Influence the

Romesh
4 DETAILS - Standard:
Sep 21 Perceived Space: Contemporary Goonewardene Foundation Wall, Pitched
Portuguese Architecture
Roof, Flat Roof, Window
from book Constructing
Architecture Materials
Processes Structures,
Birkhaser
No Lecture
No Tutorials (NON
TEACHING STUDY BREAK)

Sep
28,
Week
40
Study
Break
Oct 5, Monday Selected Model Presentation and Romesh
Week Oct 5 Comments. Conclusions.
Goonewardene
41 (102Sem)

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4 DETAILS - Standard:
Foundation Wall, Pitched
Roof, Flat Roof, Window
from book Constructing
Architecture Materials
Processes Structures,
Birkhaser

Assignment 2 STRUCTURE |
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
20% Due during this week's
tutorial. Deliver directly to
tutor.

Oct
12,
Week
42 (112Sem)
Oct
19,
Week
43 (122Sem)
Oct
26,
Week
44 (132Sem)
Nov 3,
Week
45
Study
Break
10 Nov
Week
46
Exams

Monday No lecture
Oct 12

4 DETAILS - Architect:
special details. Students will
choose an architect from a
given list and research two
details.
No Tutorials

Monday No lecture
Oct 19

Monday No lecture
Oct 26

No Tutorials

No lecture

No Tutorials

No lecture

No Tutorials

Assignment 3 STRUCTURE |
MODEL 40% + Assignment 4
| DETAILS
Due Friday 23rd October,
between 1pm and 2pm.

Assessment
Assessment overview
Typically this unit is assessed in the following way(s): (1) furniture assignmentmeasured drawings of a piece of furniture (approx. 10
per cent); (2) small structure assignmentmeasured drawings of a small-scale built structure (approx. 35 per cent); (3) site survey
and contour assignmentsite survey drawing of the site surrounding the small structure (approx. 15 per cent); (4) detail diarya diary
of selected standard construction details (approx. 20 per cent); and (5) examinationon the content of the lectures (approx. 20 per
cent). Further information is available in the unit outline.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to a change in unit coordinator for this unit from 2014, the assessment items listed above have been slightly
modified. Please refer to the below assessment mechanisms for exact detail and weightings.

Assessment mechanism
# Component

Weight Due Date

Relates To Outcomes

1 SITE MEASUREMENT 20%

AND ANALYSIS

Due during this week's tutorial 17-21

August. Deliver directly to tutor.

2 STRUCTURE |
TECHNICAL
DRAWINGS

20%

Due during this week's tutorial 7-11

September. Deliver directly to tutor.

3 STRUCTURE |
MODEL

40%

Due Friday 23rd October, between

1pm and 2pm.

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Assignment: To measure and draw an empty plot in

central Perth including surrounding buildings. To
execute site analysis diagrams. Assessment Criteria:
Accuracy and legibility of drawings. Originality and
rigour of analysis content. Submission: A3 paper
inside envelope. Detailed Brief on LMS.
Assignment: To choose one project from a given list.
Research and execute drawings of the project. These
drawings will serve as the base for assignment 3.
Assessment Criteria: Accuracy and legibility of
drawings. Appropriate scale to fit A3 paper. Rigor,
accuracy and communication. Submission: Project
images + Plan and section (minimum). A3 paper
inside envelope. Detailed Brief on LMS.
Assignment: To execute a structural model of a
project (assignment 2). Assessment Criteria: The
model should be realised with appropriate materials
clearly demonstrating how the structure works. Rigor
and accuracy: scale, material, size, adequate
structural components - tension, compression, etc.
Submission: Structural Model on 6mm MDF board 40
X 40cm. Detailed Brief on LMS.

4 DETAILS

20%

Due Friday 23rd October, between

1pm and 2pm.

Assignment: To understand and copy at a different

scale 6 architectural details. 4 Standard details:
Foundation Wall, Pitched Roof,
Flat Roof, Window from book
Constructing Architecture
Materials Processes Structures,
Birkhaser + 2 'Architect'
details. Students will choose an architect from a given
list,
research and draw two details. Submission: A3 paper
inside envelope. Detailed Brief on LMS.
There will be no exam

Assessment items
Item Title

Description

Submission Procedure for Assignments

SITE MEASUREMENT AND

ANALYSIS

Site drawings. Analysis

Diagrams.

Hand in to Tutor during tutorial and upload to LMS. A3 with assignment

cover sheet and top LH corner staple with student name, number and
tutor name printed in Helvetica 9pt on every page.

STRUCTURE | TECHNICAL
DRAWINGS

Technical Drawings.

STRUCTURE | MODEL

Structural Model.

DETAILS

Technical Drawings.

All work must also be scanned and uploaded to LMS in a single PDF.
The PDF file should be named - ARCT1030 Student Name Hand in to Tutor during tutorial and upload into LMS. A3 A3 with
assignment cover sheet and top LH corner staple with student name,
number and tutor name printed in Helvetica 9pt on every page.
All work must also be scanned and uploaded to LMS in a single PDF.
The PDF file should be named - ARCT1030 Student Name Hand in model to Specified Room (to be confirmed) with your name,
number and tutor name printed in Helvetica 9pt. Remember to
photograph work before submission. Upload to LMS a single PDF file in
A3 format with two photographs. One photograph per page.
Hand in together with STRUCTURE | MODEL to specified room (to be
confirmed). A3 A3 with assignment cover sheet and top LH corner staple
with student name, number and tutor name printed in Helvetica 9pt on
every page.
All work must also be scanned and uploaded to LMS in a single PDF.
The PDF file should be named - ARCT1030 Student Name -

Textbooks and resources

Recommended texts
A. Deplazes. Constructing Architecture Materials Processes Structures a Handbook. Birkhaser ETH Zrich, 2nd Edition 2008
At the closed reserve EDFAA library.

Suggested alternate texts

E. Neufert. Neufert Architects' Data. Wiley Blackwell, 4th Edition 2012
Architect's Monographs
Detail (Journal)

Additional texts
S.E. Rasmussen. Experiencing Architecture. MIT press. 2nd Edition 1964
P. Zumthor. Atmospheres. Birkhaser Architecture. 5th Printing Edition 2006

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Additional resources and reading

Materials and Equipment
- A3 Paper 120gsm or heavier. Lighter paper will not be accepted. Paper should be thick and opaque.
- Tape with weak glue - to glue paper onto table
- Mechanical Pencil 0.5mm with B lead (or 2B)
- Mechanical Pencil 2mm with B lead (or 2B) (i.e. Caran D'ache or similar) - Thick line for section, etc...
- Compass
- Fixative Spray for graphite
- Flat clear acrylic ruler 50cm (or 40cm)
- Flat clear triangle ruler with 90 and 45 degrees with Protractor and grid for parallel and perpendicular lines. 30cm (or 25cm) i.e.
Rotring Centro Professional 32cm, Aristo Tz Dreieck 2, etc.
- 300mm Scale ruler with scales 1:20, 1:50, 1:100, 1:200, 1:500
- Digital camera (or smartphone with camera). The school has cameras for loan through the resource room for those without a
camera.
- Computer. Students are encouraged to make use of the software and hardware facilities that include an A3 scanner in the ALVA labs
when preparing photographs for weekly tutorial sessions.

Other important information

Enrolled students can access unit material via the LMS in units that use LMS

Building clean-up and folio collection (for units with folio submissions)
Studios are expected to be left clean and tidy. Drawing boards are to be cleaned. Students must remove all personal property
immediately after the submission of their folio. If the content of a folio is used for exhibition then the student must write their name on
the back of the work so that when the exhibition is demounted collection is simplified. If staff or the Faculty wish to reserve work for
reproduction and/or accreditation purposes then this should be negotiated with individual students.

Attendance
Attendance is required at all lectures, tutorials and workshops. These are the primary means of consultation with your Unit Coordinator
and Teaching Assistants. Do not expect questions relating to content missed through unjustified absence to be answered. Additionally,
it will be assumed that students have read all relevant course materials.

Authenticity of work
For Studio units, the Faculty may prevent your continuation in this unit if you fail to meet requirements for attendance at
classes to establish the authenticity and originality of your work.
Submissions
The ALVA Submissions policy is available at:
http://www.alva.uwa.edu.au/students/policies/

Submission of Late Work

All assessment tasks are due no later than 4pm on the date indicated in the unit's Assessment Mechanism Statement, with the
exception of in-class assessment items such as tutorial presentations. Any assessment task which is submitted after the time
indicated in the assessment mechanism statement without a formal approved extension will be considered LATE and appropriate
penalities will be applied. Information on penalties can be obtained in the Faculty Policy on Submissions
at http://www.alva.uwa.edu.au/students/policies/.

Extensions
The Faculty approves extensions only in exceptional circumstances in order to ensure that all students are treated fairly and that
submission date schedules, which are designed to produce ordered work patterns for students, are not disrupted. Extensions may be
authorised only by the allocated Faculty Course Advising Office or a delegated representative. In all cases, requests for extensions
require the submission of Special Consideration form no later than three University working days after the due date.
Students are encouraged in the strongest possible terms to familiarise themselves with the Faculty Policy on Extensions available
at http://www.alva.uwa.edu.au/students/policies/.

Return of Student Work

Marked assessments submitted on time will be made available for collection by students at least one week before the next assessment
in the unit is due (if it is related to the previous assessment), or no more than four weeks after submission, whichever is sooner.

Special Consideration
For information regarding special consideration please go to:

http://www.student.uwa.edu.au/course/exams/consideration
Faculty Safety Inductions
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The ALVA Health and Safety Induction (Part A) must be completed online by all students enrolled in a unit taught by the Faculty. This
online module is available for self-enrol via LMS. Completion of the Part A induction will ensure after-hours access to the ALVA Building
(including computer labs) is enabled.
The ALVA Workshop Induction (Part B) runs in Week 1 of each semester, and must be completed if the unit involves use of the
Workshop. Your Workshop Induction lasts for five years, after which you will be required to attend a refresher. Please refer to
http://www.alva.uwa.edu.au/students/facilities for more information on Inductions and Workshop close-down period.

Material and Equipment Costs

Costs specific to individual units will be communicated to students in this unit outline or early in semester.
All sites will require students to wear protective helmets; students needing to purchase a certified protective helmet may do so from
Alsafe Safety Industries Pty Ltd, 177 Bannister Rd Canningvale. Students must wear appropriate clothing when visiting building sites;
open toed shoes and sand shoes will not be accepted and students will not gain entry to site with these shoes. The sites also require
steel capped boots to be worn this is a condition of accessing these sites. These can be bought from Army Surplus stores or
borrowed, they are a worthy investment as will be required on future building sites of your own.

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